Vanderbilt University
October 29-30, 1999

The Columbia Central High School Academic Team was hoping to get back on the winning track over the weekend at Vanderbilt University and during two days of competition they did just that.  Central had two teams competing in Vanderbilt’s Academic Bowl Contest, which included over 100 high school teams from twelve states.

Central’s first team of Lindsay Crowell, Tony Grappin, Christie Stanford, and Jeremy Wear began the competition with three wins Friday night.  Central scored wins over Russell, Kentucky (260-80), Cleveland (145-60), and Franklin-Simpson, Kentucky (90-60) while losing a close one to South Gwinnett, Georgia (135-125).  Saturday found the Lions seeded second in their division where they won matches against Carroll County, Kentucky (125-10), Daviees County, Kentucky (240-10), and Portland (250-30) but lost to national power Dorman, South Carolina (375-80) and also to Russellville, Alabama (215-125) to finish the tournament with a 6-3 record and a third place divisional finish.  Junior Jeremy Wear led a balanced scoring attack for the first team with 220 points.  Seniors Lindsay Crowell (160 points), Tony Grappin (140 points) and Christie Stanford (110 points) also contributed to the cause.

Central’s second team of Robyn Boshers, Salvador Lopez, Emily Senefeld, and Sam Wantland began the contest with a match against two-time defending national champion James Island, South Carolina.  Central played well throughout but fell by a score of 475-170.  The team then ran off a string of five consecutive wins over Lincoln County, Kentucky (110-30), Donelson Christian (285-30), Bardstown, Kentucky (80-35), University School of Nashville (170-150) and Madisonville, Kentucky (220-30) before suffering their second loss of the tournament to the team from Duluth, Georgia (270-125).  The second team won their final preliminary round match over Dunbar, Kentucky (175-80) to finish in second place in their division and advanced to the play-offs marking only the second time a team from Central has advanced to the play-offs at Vanderbilt.

In the play-offs Central succumbed to a strong Irmo, South Carolina team by a score of 270-30 to end the contest at 6-3.  Central’s second team was led in scoring by senior Robyn Boshers with 210 points and junior Emily Senefeld with 200.  Sophomore Sam Wantland scored 140 points while senior Salvador Lopez tallied 40 points.

Central’s overall record now stands at 24 wins and 15 losses.  The team will be in competition again November 6th at Cookeville High School.